Adrift

76 Days Lost at Sea

By: Steven Callahan

Narrated by: Steven Callahan

Length: 6 hrs and 53 mins

Publisher's Summary

Before The Perfect Storm, before In the Heart of the Sea, Steven Callahan's Adrift chronicled one of the most astounding voyages of the century and one of the great sea adventures of all time. In some ways the model for the new wave of adventure books, Adrift is now an undeniable seafaring classic, a riveting firsthand account by the only man known to have survived for more than a month alone at sea, fighting for his life in an inflatable raft after his small sloop capsized only six days from port.

Racked by hunger, buffeted by storms, scorched by the tropical sun, Callahan drifted for 1,800 miles, fighting off sharks with a makeshift spear and watching as nine ships passed him by. "A real human drama that delves deeply into man's survival instincts (Library Journal), Adrift is a story of anguish and horror, of undying heroism, hope, and survival, and a must-read for any adventure lover.

©2002 Steven Callahan (P)2007 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Critic Reviews

"An utterly absorbing saga." ( Newsweek)

"Fascinating...a clearly written ocean yarn in which the stakes are high and a brave man wins through." (Wall Street Journal)

I listened all the way through

One of the rare audiobooks that I couldn't stop listening to. The details and story is what was missing from the other sailing books I've heard. The addition of the interview with the author was a great surprise.

Excellent Book

The story keeps you listening from start to finish. I would recommend as an excellent book.

Fantastic!

Gripping book. Amazing detailed and fascinating account of this guy's ordeal lost at sea. Highly recommended.

To test oneself...

...to the limit cannot really be done in a training scenario no matter how serious the situation. It is only when death threatens around every corner that human ingenuity and the will to survive can be truly revealed. Callahan depicts these qualities in graphic brilliance and forces the listener to experience at least a little of what he went through.

Fantastic Story

If you could sum up Adrift in three words, what would they be?

Wow

What was one of the most memorable moments of Adrift?

The guys ability to keep living.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

If I couldve.

Any additional comments?

Gods hand was on him all the way!

Incredible story; likely a better read than listen

Adrift is an absolutely incredible story of survival, perseverance, and the strength of one man's spirit. It is a rare, beautifully written, survival account, and I would highly recommend it.

Unfortunately, the narration is rushed and detracts from the beautiful writing. While it is nice to hear the story read by the author, this one deserves a second recording by a more skilled oral storyteller. It just felt rushed, and rushing through such an incredible story simply does it a disservice.

An A+ read, but a so-so listen.

Horrible reader.

it was a good story If you can get pass the reader. It seemed like his first book he ever read. It was really hard to make it to the end.

I am struggling to finish

I like to listen to audio books as I do chores around the house, and this book seems to be too mundane even for that. I made it to the chapter where he's rambling on about wanting to bang a fish, but her parents wouldn't approve. I bet the author really loved the movie the shape of water

Amazing True Story

Would you consider the audio edition of Adrift to be better than the print version?

I believe both versions would have been equally good but I enjoyed the Audio version

What other book might you compare Adrift to and why?

Life of Pi

Which scene was your favorite?

There were so many!!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes

Any additional comments?

Nope

Where do I start?

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

A decent narrator!

What did you like best about this story?

The survival element.

Would you be willing to try another one of the narrator’s performances?

Absolutely not.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Adrift?

His describes a lengthy fantasy/dream at one point. Made me wonder if he was "all there."

Any additional comments?

One of the worst books I've purchased with a credit. Terrible narrator. He has a STRONG Midwestern type accent, sounds nerdy, and talks way to fast, (this is the only audible book I've listened to where I had to run my iPod in slow mode.)
The book itself is poorly written. Overly dramatic. One gets the impression that the subject is reveling in recounting his adventures and that he actually enjoyed every minute of them.
Terrible, terrible, terrible!

Epic

Faultless really

Takes you there no time wasting, good reflection, you learn about life from this book.

Similar to the film 'all is lost' but 10 x deeper into that jungle that is life in a life raft and. What that entails

5* all round

Having completed the journey successfully as half of a two-man team in the opposite direction, Steve embarks upon the solo journey across the Atlantic. Upon encountering difficulty, his boat capsizes and sinks and the book takes us through his 76 day journey at the mercy of the elements on Rubber Ducky III, his life raft.

We are enveloped in the multi-layered relationship he has with the fish, we are left astounded by his ingenuity and bravery and we are mesmerised by his ability to relay this journey.

An excellent delivery by the narrator, a lesson on the importance of preparation and a must-read for sailors and adventure lovers.

Fantastic story of human survival

A fantastic account of survival at sea from start to finish, truly inspiring. An absolute must listen!

Incredible story read by the author

Really enjoyed. He addresses many aspects of the experience, not just the practicalities. Huge depth of emotion, without overwhelming.

A witty yet captivating survival story

Enjoyable entertaining and jaw dropping story about extreme risks and rewards resulting in the survival of Steve Callahan

The ultimate Survival Story

I loved this amazing survival story. Callahan's pragmatism in the face of despair is truly Inspiring.

One of my favorite books

I love this book. I have both read and listened to it several times. It’s a terrible ordeal he goes through, but he keeps a nuanced view of what’s happening all the time. It’s amazing. 10/10 recommendation.

amazing story of human spirit

Great book told well. If you like adventure you will like his. emotional and captivating

Good Listen

What made the experience of listening to Adrift the most enjoyable?

The auther described his surroundings so well you had a mental picture of it.

Who was your favorite character and why?

There was only one character which was the sailer.

What about the narrator’s performance did you like?

He read the book calmly but also expressed the excitement of catching a fish, or the overwhelming feeling of helplessness in the current surroundings.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No.